


A Rift between You and Me

by Jessi_aka_pyro



Category: Welcome to Night Vale
Genre: Cecil comes to our world, M/M, Rating will go up, Will add tags as I go, at least knowing me, just an idea i had, kind of, roles reversed, through a rift he was interviewing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-10-27
Updated: 2015-10-27
Packaged: 2018-04-28 10:48:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,956
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5087761
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jessi_aka_pyro/pseuds/Jessi_aka_pyro
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rather than Carlos coming to Night Vale, what if Cecil came to our world. Carlos now has a delusional radio host on his hands who doesn't know even the basics of society.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. chapter one

A Rift Between You and Me

Chapter one

It wasn't the loud boom so much as the blinding purplish white light that drove Carlos to leave his secluded home surrounded by woodland. He was in the middle of a time sensitive experiment when the electricity filled the air and time itself seemed to stop. Then the rumbling started and light filled the night sky. He could try to define the colour the sky took, but colour is nothing but a perception of what each individual sees. What he might call purple, another might say is pink. So Carlos shoved that thought to the side when it happened.

From what he could assume, the blast must have happened just on the edge of the woods, near a river in the opposite direction of town. Carlos abandoned his experiment, figuring it was probably compromised anyway after the mini earthquake that seemed to have happened, and got in his old pick up truck full of science equipment and took off towards the lights. They were starting to fade but the purple and white streaks were easy to follow in the dead of night. As a side thought, Carlos was suddenly very grateful, but for the first time, that he lived far from anyone else. He wanted to investigate the disturbance without having to worry about any bystanders getting in his way.

A thick, grey, fog came out of sudden nowhere as he got closer, but Carlos powered through it. He got to the edge of the woods when the fog started to become too much. He pulled his truck over and got out, only bringing his most useful instruments in his bag, and grabbed his flashlight, aiming it at the inch if ground just below the fog. Carlos knew he was getting close because he hear the river clearly now.

The lights were gone now and the moon was shining again leaving Carlos in fog and moonlight, as well as the tiny patch of light he could see from his flashlight. It was a nice night if only Carlos could see in front of him. He came to the edge of ground that meet with river water. He tried to wave the fog away but to no avail of course. He was about to give up and come back tomorrow when he heard a splash to his right. He would've brushed it off but it was followed by a cough and a very human groan.

Carlos swung his flashlight in that direction, getting a glimpse of a very white hand. It twitched and the coughing continued.

Carlos rushed over and found a bloodied arm attached to that hand followed by a body sprawled in the shallow river bank. Blood seemed to be everywhere but Carlos couldn't figure out where exactly it was coming from. The (male? Carlos was not about to make a definite claim on the gender until he had a clearer view) coughed again and it's less bloodied arm twitched again, inching closer. Bubbles surfaced from the water and something in Carlos clicked. The person was face down in water. They couldn't breathe. Hence the coughing.

Carlos got into gear and turned the person's head to the side so they could get air before starting to carefully roll them over. The body shuddered and a painful gasp sounded as the person's back met the cold water.  
The person had coppery/silver hair, but that could be wrong do to the blood that seemed to be more coated on the person's front than the back. They had pale skin, nearly paper white, and purple designs running up their arms as well as on their neck. Carlos couldn't make it out well but maybe after he cleaned them up a bit more. He splashed some water on their neck and took their pulse. It was faster than it should be but not too much to worried about. Carlos signed in relief. He checked for any fatal wounds but after only finding a few scratches and cuts but nothing serious, Carlos deemed him (decidedly male after brief examination) okay. The person groaned again, their arm twitching. Carlos shushed him and slowly picked him up in his arms.

By the time he was standing and balanced with the man in his arms, he was sopping wet and cold, but he pushed the complaints away. This man needed help and Carlos wasn't going to turn him away.

On the way back to the truck the man's eyes moved behind his eye lids but only opened once for a brief second. The man had mumbled "beautiful hair," in a deep baritone before falling unconscious again. Carlos had the urge to subconsciously mess with his hair after the comment but shook off the ridiculous thought. The man was asleep again. It doesn't matter.

Placing the man upright in the passenger seat was more difficult than he thought but Carlos managed it and got in the driver's and started his truck up. On their way back the moonlight caught some of the silver in the man's hair and Carlos had to force himself not to stare and focus on the road. He had the sudden thought that when clean, the man's hair would still shine silver and gorgeous. Even covered in blood and soaking wet, Carlos had to admit the man was beautiful. Sharp jaw line, average height and build. Wearing what appeared to be a purple vest, white button up shirt, black tie, and slacks. When he glanced at the shoes, he was thrown off a little though. They were bright yellow glittery flats. With orange socks. Carlos shrugged and muttered "to each his own."

They pulled up to Carlos's drive way when the man started groaning again. His eyes opened but they were foggy and unfocused. The man froze and looked straight at Carlos and pointed at him with a shaking hand. Carlos couldn't help but notice how his eyes were a very dark purple. "Y-you. What- where did you take me."

Carlos blinked and lifted his hand up in a way to show he meant no harm. The man seemed to take Carlos's gesture the wrong way and yelped, covering his face. "Don't hurt me!" He shouted. He was shaking badly.

"Hey," Carlos said softly, lowering his arms. "Hey I'm not going to hurt you. I promise. I found you, hurt and unconscious. We're at my home."

The man still wouldn't lower his arms, but he did slowly peek between them.

Carlos smiled the way his sister always said was a lady killer smile and he'd his hands out again, this time slower and palms up, in front of both of them. "My name is Carlos. See? I'm not going to harm you. Why don't you tell me your name?"

The man lowered his arms slowly but still stared at Carlos suspiciously. "You don't... know who I am? Were you reeducated?"

Carlos looks at him strangely. "Reeducated? What do you mean. Of course I don't know you. We just met."

"I'm... I'm Cecil Palmer. Night Vale Community Radio show host? I know you've had to of heard the show. It's mandatory. Are we in the whispering forest? Although it is a tad too quiet to be whispering."

Carlos shakes his head and stares. "Cecil, is Night Vale where you are from? I'm sorry but you're not in Night Vale. Or at last not that I know of. We're in Oregon. About two hours South of Burns."

Cecil shook his head and tried to back up into the door. "Eh- n-no. I can't- orewhat!? I think you hit your head, Mr. Carlos. We're in Night Vale. Everyone knows you can't just leave."

"Cecil what's the last thing you remember?"

"I-..." Cecil looked down and scrunched his eyebrows togetheri. "i-i I was reporting? Y-yeah. I was reporting the rift that had showed up near the Ralph's... I remember asking it for an interview and... and nothing. That's it. Then I woke up here."

"Rift? Ralph's? Cecil I really don't think you're where you think you are."

"B-but! Night Vale laws-"

Carlos pressed a finger to Cecil's mouth quickly and Cecil froze again, staring crosseyed at it.

"Cecil calm down. Let's just go inside, okay? We're both wet and freezing and I know I'm not the only one confused here. I can make us something hot to drink. How does that sound?"

Cecil stared for a few minutes, thinking and fighting off the cold. "...Do you have orange milk?"

Carlos laughed softly. "What? No but I can get you some milk and make it orange. Come on, let's go inside."

Cecil sighs and nodded his head. He definitely wasn't in Night a Vale anymore.


	2. Chapter two

Chapter Two

Carlos had to help Cecil out of the truck and into the house. Evidently something was wrong with Cecil's foot and so he had trouble keeping up right.

Now he was sitting at his kitchen table in fresh clothes, waiting for Cecil to get done in the shower. He had set out a glass of warm milk for the man and even put a few drops of Orange food colouring in it, hoping that would make him feel better. He had also given Cecil a pair of black sweat pants and a science pun shirt to wear after he's done cleaning. There was a lot of blood...

Carlos sat upright and almost facepalmed.

He had just taken a strange man home with little memory of what happened to him, and was covered in blood. He had to be the most idiotic man on the planet. But when Carlos was talking to him he didn't get any bad vibes... Which was odd in itself seeing as Carlos was never very good with other people, one of many reasons why he chose to live so far away from people.

He decided to keep a close eye on the strange man.

Carlos heard the shower turn off and a few minutes later, Cecil came out in Carlos's clothes that were a little short and baggy on him, due to Carlos being slightly shorter and wider, using the wall to support his weight off of his foot.

"Uhmm I put my clothes in the hamper in there. I wasn't sure where else to put them."

Even with his hair being still wet, Carlos had to admit, it was beautiful. He felt like he could stare at that hair from multiple angles for hours and still not discover all of its secrets. Carlos needed to get those kind of thoughts out of his head now. Cecil was a guest and needed help. Not Carlos's lecherous thoughts about that hair or his pale skin and intricate tattoos or how adorable he looks in Carlos's closes, all unsure of himself and awkward.

Awkward.

Carlos cleared his throat.

Carlos nods and smiles. "Yeah that's fine. I'll wash them tomorrow for you. I got you a glass of milk. Why don't you sit down so I can look at your foot?"

Cecil did as he was told and took the glass in both hands.and watched as Carlos moves his foot back and forth. It only seemed to cause him discomfort when it was extended or having any pressure on it.

"Well I don't think it's broken, but sprang maybe? I'm not a doctor so I can't really say. But I have an ankle brace that might help. I'll go get it."

Carlos ran to another part of the house and Cecil used this time to try the milk. It certainly wasn't the Orange milk he drank back home but if this really isn't Night Vale (and he wasn't sure it wasn't yet) then it would make sense that the milk would taste different. After all, no one makes Orange milk like John Peters. (you know the farmer?) No one.

He finished his milk by the time Carlos came back with the ankle brace, disheivled and out of breath. Cecil had to fight the urge to touch the man. No need to freak out his temporary care taker.

Carlos grinned and sat down, taking Cecil foot into his lap. "Sorry about that. I should've mentioned that my room is a disaster area. Took me a bit to find it. Hope you weren't too bored."

Honestly, Cecil was too busy staring at the man's hair and ignoring the warmth he felt in his ankle as Carlos touches him to really hear anything he was saying.

"Cecil?"

"Huh? What Oooooh oh no I'm fine. Thank you. You have beautiful hair." Cecil blinked and stared at Carlos for a second. Had he just said...... Carlos smiled and laughed. Yep. Yes he did. Cecil groaned and his forehead hit the table.

"Thank you. You said the same thing earlier when I was carrying you to my truck."

Cecil sat straight up at that. "You... carried me...?"

"Well yeah. How else was I supposed to get you home."

"O-oh. That makes sense. I'm sorry."

Carlos laughs again and it sounds like honey. Cecil groans internally. He knows what's happening. The only thing to make this man anymore perfect was if he was a scientist.

"No need. I was going to go out to the river anyway to conduct an experiment."

"Expirement...?" Cecil can't believe this. Either he was the worst luck on the planet or sweet glow cloud, he was the luckiest man in Night Vale. Or wherever. Oregoon.

"Hmm? Oh yes. A lot of strange weather has been happening at that clearing. I'm a scientist so like what all scientists do, I experiment."

"Of course you do," Cecil mumbled.

"What was that?"

"Nothing! Just uhhh are you almost done putting that thing on?"

Carlos grinned and nodded. "Yep! Fit right on. Just keep that on for a week or so and it should heal your ankle right up. Assuming nothing else is wrong. Would you like something to eat?"

Cecil shook his head no. He really needed to get out of the presence of this beautiful man. "Uhmm no. I'd prefer to go to sleep if that's okay. I'm really tired still."

Carlos nodded and helped Cecil up. Cecil tried very hard to not feel his back mucles. What was wrong with him!? He wasn't usually this quickly attracted to people! Had his romance feelings he had preordered a month ago finally come in?

"My bedroom is just this way. you can sleep on my bed tonight and we can go into town and get you some new clothes tomorrow and I'll purchase an air mattress."

"What? I can't take your bed from you!"

Carlos shrugged him off and sat Cecil on the bed after having him walk over many questionable items. There was science equipment everywhere. Ticking clocks and thermometers covered the walls and petridishes littered the surfaces. It was all very typical of a scientists room. Cecil was pretty sure he was done for.

"Don't worry about it, Cecil. I sleep in odd places all the time. Besides, you're a guest and you're hurt! It's fine."

Cecil bites his lip, about to protest again, but when Carlos stared at him he sighed in resolve. "Fine. But tomorrow you're getting your bed back."

Carlos laughed and waved him off. "Sure sure Cecil. Get some sleep. I'll be in the living room."

Cecil sighed in frustration and pulled the covers up tight around him. He was defiantly done for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ehhh I don't really like this chapter. But it's all I got. So I hope you guys enjoy it. And thank you so much to those who commented and gave me kudos!


	3. Chapter Three

**Chapter**   **Three**

 

Carlos awoke with a yawn and a crick in his spine. The couch had definitely seen better days. It’s not like Carlos had a lot of money to get a new couch, not when he spent most of it on new science equipment or necessary items that get broken along the way. But anyway.

 

He gets up with yet another yawn, stretching high above his head. Carlos stumbles over to his bedroom and pokes his head in. Cecil is dead to the world, mouth hung open and limbs slayed in odd, impossibly flexible, directions. Carlos nearly laughs but he doesn’t want to wake him. He shuts the door softly and turns to retrieve Cecil’s clothes.

 

He’d changed his mind about waiting for today and put them in the washer and dryer the night before, so it doesn’t take long.

 

Carlos tip toes silently into the room, watching where he stepped. When he was beside the bed, he set the clothes on the nightstand and was about to turn away but a hand shot out from beneath the blanket and gripped his wrist, causing Carlos to jump nearly a foot high.

 

Purple eyes slowly blinked open, along with a lazy smile. In the gorgeous, soothing voice, he said, “Nu uh uh, Not so fast, Sheriff. I’m not falling for that disgui- iiii Carlos! Hi!” Cecil’s eyes focused more on Carlos, flushing deeply ( _ Is that a purple blush!? _ ) and sitting up.

 

Carlos’ smile tilted and he wiggled his hand. Cecil immediately let go. “Sheriff? Are you feeling alright, Cecil? I’m sorry I woke you up, I was bringing you your clothes.”

 

Cecil just stares, blinking slowly. “...You brought me Clothes?”

 

Carlos looks down at Cecil weirdly and sits down on the bed next to him. “Yeah. The ones that were all bloody? Are you feeling okay, Cecil? I can get you some coffee or something. I think I have pop tarts.” He goes to press a hand to Cecil’s forehead but the man jerks away. Then he turns impossibly even more purple. “Y-yeah. Right! I remember. That would- Neat! Yes! Coffee! Thank you. I’ll- I’ll get dressed.”

 

Carlos was then shoved from the room and with great confusion, he turned around as the door was shut. “Yes on the coffee and pop tarts then?” He called through the door. He heard a muffled shout in return, accompanied by, “ Yes please! I will try your popped tarts!”

 

Carlos laughed and went to the kitchen to do just that. He’ll make the coffee and then change later. Cecil obviously needed some time alone.

 

Still… Carlos’ mind wandered back to that comment about the Sheriff… Why did Cecil think he was a Sheriff? Why would the Sheriff be sneaking around Cecil’s room? Was he in trouble with the law? Carlos shook his head and went to make his morning rounds of checking on his experiments.

 

Just as the toaster made its infamous spontaneous popping sound, a sudden shout was heard, followed by clanging. Carlos ran into the kitchen to see Cecil covering his mouth with one hand, the other pointing a fork at the toaster. The man was nearly hissing as he scrambled to the back wall.

 

“Carlos! Your toaster is acting out viciously today! Don’t go near it!”

 

Carlos cocked his head and laughed, walking over to get a paper plate to put the pop tarts on. “Cecil, calm down. The pop tarts are done. Have you never heard a toaster go off before?”

 

“Carlos, no! They only make noises when they’re angry!”

 

But as Cecil tried to reach out to stop Carlos, the Scientist already had both sets of pop tarts on the plate. With a lopsided smile, he set the plate on the counter and went to get them mugs. “Cecil, really. It’s fine. I wouldn’t touch those for a few minutes though. They’re pretty hot. Do you want to make your own coffee?”

 

At Carlos’ nonchalant attitude towards the machine, Cecil eyed the toaster warily. He’d just have to trust Carlos. He was a scientist after all. He approached the Coffee Machine with conviction and determination. He waved Carlos away and started cracking his knuckles. Show Coffee no mercy, as his mom always said.

 

This coffee must have been dead tired though because it didn’t put up much of a fight. Carlos leaned against the table, watching Cecil with a bemused smirk, a pop tart half hanging out of his mouth. “Got it?” he asked around a mouth full of gooey goods.

 

Cecil got the impression that he was being mocked so he crossed his arms and huffed. “Yes, I’ve ‘got it’. It’s just being lazy today. You’ll understand the next time it bites you.”

 

Carlos laughed and brushed passed Cecil to set up the coffee, Cecil stared as he watched him.

 

“Ah. There we go. After coffee, we can head into town to get you some clothes! And maybe figure out where you came from.”

 

Cecil rolled his eyes and grabbed his cooled poptart off of the table. “I already told you, I’m from Night Vale!” He sighed as he took a huge bite out of the pastry,

 

...Then his eyes shot open wide as he stared at it in shock. “Oh masters of US ALL THIS IS WONDERFUL.” He then proceeded to cram the rest of it in his mouth, politness be damned. He grabbed the second one and repeated the action.

 

Carlos had to hold in a laugh as the odd man before him discovered the wonders of toasted sweets. He’d been away from people for so long he forgot how humorous it was to watch people’s reactions to new things.

 

He heard the ding for the coffee machine and went about getting them cups.

 

Not soon after, they were both dressed and packed up in Carlos’s pick up, on their way to town. 

 

\----------------

 

Cecil was quiet on the way. He kept looking out the winow with a far away look. Carlos was more than slightly concerned.

 

“Cecil? Are you okay?”

 

Cecil hummed back and nodded but didn’t say anything else. It wasn’t hard to realise that Cecil was quite the talker, so to see him be so quiet set Carlos on edge. “You know we’ll get you home, right?” Carlos said, focusing back on the road.

 

Cecil sighed heavily and sat back in his seat, playing with his figertips. “I know… I just… It’s hard to beleive I’m not home. No one ever leaves Night Vale, not really anyway. And yet… This isn’t Night Vale.”

 

Carlos hummed in return and grabbed one of Cecil’s figeting hands. He didn’t see the blush that spread across Cecil’s face.

 

“Cecil, I /will/ get you home. I swear on it. Just… It’ll take some time. First we need to get you situated and figure out how you got here in the first place. Are you sure you don’t know anyting?”

 

Cecil shook his head glumly. “I told you, I was interveiwing a rift and-”

 

“Then you woke up here, yes. But like anything else? Yes, I beleive that Rift’s exist but no one in this reality has seen one. Or at least lived to tell the tale. Cecil, I’m at least 97% sure you’re from another Dimension either that or you’re dilusional. I can’t explain to you the releif I feel that I’m the one who found you. If it had been anyone else, you’d have ended up in a looney bin somewhere.”

 

Cecil frowned. He didn’t know what this ‘looney bin’ was but it did not sound pleasent. “What do you mean by dilusional? Do you not beleive me?”

 

Carlos sighed, feeling a headache comming on. He really didn’t want to have to explain his own reasonigs. “I do, I just… Some things you talk about… It’s hard to imaagine those things really exist. Like inanimate objects don’t move in my reality, Cecil. Rifts don’t just randomly pop up and spit out grown men from other dimentions. This isn’t someething that has ever happened as far as I’m concerned. This is all new for me too. It’s going to take some getting used to.”

 

Cecil looked back out the window, depressed and sorely missig his home.

  
He didn’t say anything else until they entered the tiny town outside of the woods

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heeeeyy Still Alive. I don't really have an excuse for not updating. Just that I've been going through a lot and haven't really been into wtnv lately BUT I am going to the San Antonio live show in a week so :) I figured I should probably add to this very neglected story. Again, I am so so sorry! And honestly this story is turning out to be a lot more difficult to write than I originally thought it would be :/ If anyoe has ideas of where I should take it, please please let me know! Becaus eI have zero ideas xD Anywho, thanks to those who stuck with me through this ridiculous hiatus. Night!

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! This is just an idea I had, hope you all like it. Let me know if I should continue. Yes I am still writing Save me from Falling, (my Destiel story) but with the new night vale book out and all I just couldn't help myself. (Which I highly recommend btw. It's absolutely fantastic and I'm only half way through)
> 
> Oh and for those who care. These are Cecil's shoes that I was describing. ((www . premierboutique. com/ new/ wp-content/ uploads/ 2010/03/ IMG_8387 . JPG)) just remove the spaces. I don't know what happened there. Fashion disaster Cecil was upset that I was making him snappy I guess XD


End file.
